Minnesota Red Cross aids hurricane relief efforts

More than a dozen volunteers from the American Red Cross Minnesota Region are making their way to Florida’s Panhandle to provide relief to those in the path of Hurricane Michael.

About 30 Minnesota volunteers are still on the ground in the Carolinas, where Hurricane Florence hit in September. More than 90 volunteers have helped with those efforts since the slow-moving storm caused massive flooding there. Hurricane Michael is adding to the woes in the Carolinas by dumping additional rain there.

Continued relief efforts in the wake of both hurricans Michael and Florence likely will draw additional volunteers from Minnesota, Carrie Carlson-Guest, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross Minnesota Region.

“We won’t know how many more are needed until after the storm passes,” she said. “Needs change.”

As of now, the Minnesota Red Cross has sent 10 volunteers to Florida, three to Georgia and one to Alabama.

In the meantime, the Red Cross is asking people from other parts of the country to donate blood to help fill the void left when hundreds of blood drives in the areas hit by the hurricanes had to be canceled.

Mary Lynn Smith • 612-673-4788

Mary Lynn Smith is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune. She previously covered St. Paul City Hall and Ramsey County. Before that, she worked in Duluth where she covered local and state government and business. She frequently has written about the outdoors.